The circus of Dr. Lao vs Water for Elephants: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Circus Performers, Circus, Depressions, Fiction
The circus of Dr. Lao
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Abalone, Arizona, is a sleepy southwestern town whose chief concerns are boredom and surviving the Great Depression—that is, until the circus of Dr. Lao arrives and immensely and irrevocably changes the lives of…
Water for Elephants
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As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the…
Side by side
The verdict
- Readers rate Water for Elephants highest: Water for Elephants 4.1 · The circus of Dr. Lao 3.8.
- The circus of Dr. Lao is the quickest read — about 2 hours vs 7 for Water for Elephants.
- Water for Elephants has the widest readership — 1724103 ratings behind its score.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| The circus of Dr. Lao | Water for Elephants | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.8 (1528) | 4.1 (1724103) |
| Hardcover | 3.5 (3) | 3.9 (749) |
| Google Books | — | 4.0 (70) |
| Apple Books | — | 4.5 (129) |
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Reception
| The circus of Dr. Lao | Water for Elephants | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 1528 | 1724103 |
| Editions | 10 | 36 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | — | 5 |
| Wikipedia attention | 771 | 4448 |
| Pages | 154 | 418 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: The circus of Dr. Lao or Water for Elephants?
Water for Elephants has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Water for Elephants 4.1/5, The circus of Dr. Lao 3.8/5).
Which is shorter to read: The circus of Dr. Lao or Water for Elephants?
The circus of Dr. Lao is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The circus of Dr. Lao (154 pages, ≈ 2 h 51 m); Water for Elephants (418 pages, ≈ 7 h 44 m).
Which is harder to read: The circus of Dr. Lao or Water for Elephants?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — The circus of Dr. Lao: Challenging; Water for Elephants: Moderate.
Have both books been made into films?
The circus of Dr. Lao: 1 film adaptation; Water for Elephants: 1 film adaptation.